They Never Give Up: Once a Coach, Always a Coach

Carol Love — Rowing

Carol (Eastmure) Love was an accidental rower. While she was standing in the registration line at McMaster University in 1971, someone casually suggested she try out for the university club. Although she was athletic, rowing had never been her sport. Within five years, she was stroking Canada’s eight to a fourth-place finish at the Olympic Games, and one year later she was a world champion bronze medallist.

Carol Love, entraîneure en chef, Université Trent et Peterborough Rowing Club

Her competitive career over, Carol moved to Peterborough, Ont., to be assistant athletic director at Trent University. She was gradually drawn into coaching with Trent and the Peterborough Rowing Club (PRC) and also initiated a high school women’s program, a first for the city. In 1980, the Canadian Amateur Rowing Association offered her the opportunity to coach the U-23 men’s team.

In 1981, Carol married fellow Olympian Brian Love, and they moved to New Zealand, eager for the experience of living abroad. Brian took a job with the University of Otago and Carol became executive director of the Dunedin YMCA, the first woman to hold such a position in that country. After three years, the couple returned to Peterborough, Brian to work for Trent and Carol to coach on and off as a volunteer with the PRC and on contract with the university.

In 1985, Carol gave birth to her daughter, Robin, and less than a month later began a three-year stint as coach of PRC and Trent, made possible by Sport Canada’s Women in Sport and Fitness Leadership Program, which provided shared funding to create opportunities for women in administration and coaching. “It was very exciting. The educational side and the feminist theme were very strong, and the women I met made a huge impact on me. And there I was with a baby and there were no problems with that. The women who did the training were amazing; the whole experience was quite powerful.”

During this period, Carol gave birth to Timothy, in 1987, and added national assignments to her coaching portfolio. A highlight was leading a U-23 tour of Australia, which included future stars Marnie McBean and Derek Porter. “I’ve always thought that they went on to do so well because of the great experience we had. That trip was a significant experience for all of us.”

Life changed dramatically in 1990 when the Love triplets, Richard, Bridget, and Rebecca, arrived. Carol had already decided that it was time to stay closer to home, and the triplets’ arrival sealed her decision to put her coaching on hold. For the next decade, family was Carol’s focus, although she did coach an alpine skiing junior development program and handled seasonal rowing contracts as the children grew older.

In 2004, Carol plunged headlong into renewing her coaching career, thanks in large measure to initiatives developed by Bill Byrick, Trent’s director of athletics, who forged a partnership with the PRC in order to pay Carol a full-time salary as head coach of both clubs. She became head coach of Ontario’s 2005 Canada Summer Games team, which dominated the regatta with nine golds, three silvers, and one bronze medal. Rowing on that team was Carol’s daughter Robin.

After the Games, Carol joined the board of directors of RowOntario as vice president of athlete and coach development in order to be involved in making decisions at the elite level. “These positions allow me to contribute and gain knowledge and are interesting and stimulating, keeping me involved and on the leading edge of the sport.

Aspiring to have an opportunity to coach at the national level, Carol intends to pursue NCCP Level 4. “That’s essential if I want to move up. This is an exciting time for me.”

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le Journal en français

April 2008
Vol. 8, No.2
Front Page
CONTENTS

They Never Give Up: Once a Coach, Always a Coach

by Sheila Robertson

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